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The Invisible Man (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = The Invisible Man
| cover = Queen The Invisible Man.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| caption = Artwork for UK release
| type = single
| artist = Queen
| album = The Miracle
| B-side = *"Hijack My Heart"
*"The Invisible Man" (Album Version) (On the 12" and CD single versions, the extended version of "The Invisible Man" is on the A Side, while the album version is the second B Side)
| released = 7 August 1989
| recorded = 1988
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Electro-funk
| length =
| label =
| writer = Queen
(Roger Taylor)
| producer =
| prev_title = Breakthru
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = Scandal
| next_year = 1989
| misc =
}}
"'The Invisible Man'" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by drummer Roger Taylor but credited to Queen. The song is sung mostly by Freddie Mercury, with vocal contributions from Taylor. Originally released on the album 'The Miracle', it was released as a single in August 1989. Taylor claims that he got the inspiration to create the song while reading a book, and the bassline instantly came to his imagination. The song title was inspired by the H. G. Wells novel of the same name.
This song marks the only time in any of Queen's songs that all four band members' names are mentioned in the lyrics. Mercury's name is announced by Taylor, and the other three by Mercury.
Music video
In the music video, a video game called "The Invisible Man" plays a large part, as a young boy is playing a game while the band (all dressed in black), who are the "bad guys" and Freddie Mercury (is their boss in the game, since he's the one who wears a virtual reality googles, while the rest of the band didn't, but instead of them wearing virtual reality googles like Freddie Mercury, they wear black shades instead) enters the real world and perform the song in his room. As they perform, the boy tries to shoot them with the game controller. From time to time, Mercury appears in various places in the child's room, vanishing before the boy can shoot him with the video controller. After Mercury emerges from the child's closet with his band in tow, John Deacon removes his cowboy hat and throws it to the floor. In perhaps a futile attempt to emulate him, the boy removes his baseball cap, and dons the other. The screen then shows an image of the band in the game once more, Deacon without a hat, and the child walks underneath them, with a "Game Over" message appearing.
A then-15-year-old Danniella Westbrook, who joined soap opera 'EastEnders' the following year, appears in the video as the boy's sister.
Freddie Mercury's eyewear and John Deacon's hat was also used in the cover of their next single "Scandal"
Covers
A cover of the song has been done by Scatman John, in which many of the lyrics and instrumentals are replaced with scat singing. Butch Hartman, the creator of the Nickelodeon animated series 'Danny Phantom', has said the show's theme song was inspired by the bass line of "The Invisible Man".
Track listings
'7" Single'
A Side. "The Invisible Man" (Album Version) - 3:57
B Side. "Hijack My Heart" - 4:11
'12"/CD Single'
A Side. "The Invisible Man" (Extended Version) - 5:28
2/B1. "Hijack My Heart" - 4:11
3/B2. "The Invisible Man" (Album Version) - 3:57
Personnel
*Freddie Mercury - lead vocals
*Brian May - lead guitar
*Roger Taylor - drums, synthesizer, sampler, backing vocals
*John Deacon - bass guitar, rhythm guitar
*David Richards - synthesizer, sequencer, programming
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
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